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Atlas Copco Grows Wastewater Product Offering through HSi Acquisition

Atlas Copco acquired Houston Service Industries (HSi), a leading manufacturer of centrifugal blowers, exhausters, and control systems to further support its expansion across municipal wastewater markets. This acquisition provided Atlas Copco access to an expanded range of technologies used in low-pressure air and gas applications, including multistage centrifugal blowers and high speed turbo blowers, to further complement its full range of ZS screw blowers and ZB centrifugal blowers.

As a result of the acquisition, sales personnel from HSi and its network of U.S. and Canadian-based contracted manufacturer’s representatives will serve as the premier channel to market for the sales of all HSi and Atlas Copco low pressure products into municipal wastewater segments. Initially, HSi and Atlas Copco branded products will continue to be offered, with long-term plans to incorporate all products and sales under the Atlas Copco brand while still being offered through designated manufacturer’s representatives.

HSi’s facility in Houston will continue its role as a global competence and manufacturing center of low-pressure turbo blowers and will focus on the development of new and existing technologies.

“Taking advantage of the combined technologies from both companies allows us to provide the municipal wastewater market with low-pressure solutions that give customers maximum reliability with proven levels of energy efficiency,” said Conrad Latham, vice president, marketing for the Atlas Copco oil-free air division.

“HSi and our appointed manufacturer’s representatives have a vast knowledge of the wastewater sector, and the combination of these two product portfolios into one will serve an expanded range of customers with an even greater range of energy efficient solutions,” said Andrew Balberg, business development manager, low pressure for North America.

The official launch of this new sales support structure for the municipal industry will take place at the 2012 Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), the wastewater industry’s flagship tradeshow, September 29 to October 3 in New Orleans.

In the wastewater treatment process, millions of bacteria feed on organic waste, breaking it down into carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water. Because these bacteria require oxygen as part of this process, large quantities of air are blown into aeration tanks. Digester gas, a byproduct of the process, can also be upgraded and compressed to generate electricity. And because air and gas blowers typically represent up to 70 percent of the total electricity costs at water treatment facilities, many facilities that incorporate blowers that use the latest Atlas Copco technology are able to reduce these costs by an average of 30 percent.

In addition to wastewater treatment, other industries with blower and vacuum applications that can benefit from the latest energy saving technologies include pneumatic conveying, power generation, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, pulp and paper, textiles, cement, and general manufacturing.